It has long been the practice to secure endplates to the inner race of a bearing assembly by peening or flaring lips on opposite sides of the inner race into locking relation about the peripheries of the respective endplates. Such metalworking, however, can cause distortion and dimensional size change of the inner race in excess of industry standards. Other methods of securing the endplates to the bearing race have suffered from similar drawbacks. These methods include staking or deforming the inner race at circumferentially spaced locations to secure the endplate, axially deforming a brass band into interposed relation between the endplate and inner race to cause radial expansion and secure retention of the endplate and inner race, and forcing the endplate onto the bearing race with an interference fit. The forces exerted on the inner bearing race in each method can cause distortion of the inner bearing race in excess of acceptable limits.